butts



j UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY E. BUTTS, oEsr. LOUIS, MISSOURI, AsSIG'NoE To LUCINDA BUTTS,

or SAME PLACE.

DooR- FAsTl-:NER-

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 603,477, dated May 3, 1898. Application iiled December 1'7, 1897. Serial No. 662,362. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY B. BUTTS, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of St. Louis, in the State of Missouri, have invented a new and useful Door-Fastener, of which the following is a speciication.

The object of this invention is to provide improved means for securing a door in a closed position relative to a jamb, which means are removable and replaceable and adjustable to varying conditions.

My invention consists in the construction, arrangement, and combination of elements hereinafter set forth, pointed out in my claim, and illustrated by the accompanying drawings, in Which- Figure lis an elevation illustrating my device mounted as required for practical use in securely connecting a door and jamb. Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail View showingthe device in the same position as Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a face view of a portion of the jamb, showing my device applied thereto, the door being removed. Fig. 5 is a detail front elevation of a portion of a door and jamb, showing the retaining-plate reversed and adjustably differently positioned, which different positioning is necessitated by an obstruction on the face-casing. Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5, in which the face or retaining plate is shown in yet another position, due to the further encroachment of van obstructing molding on the jamb. Fig. 4 is a horizontal section of Fig. 2. Fig. 7 is a horizontal section of Fig. 6. gaging plate.

In theconstruction of the device as shown the numeral 10 designates an engaging plate provided with teeth, prongs, studs, or projections 11, integralk with one end, spaced apart, bent at right anglesto the plane of the engaging plate, and attenuated, tapered, and sharpened. N'otches 12 13 are formed in the top and bottoml margins of the engaging plate 10 a little to one side of the center of the plate and at a greater distance from the projections 11 than from the ends of the plate opposite to the projections. In practical use the engaging plate is mounted in the crack between the opening edge of a door 14 and the adjacent jamb 15, with the projections Figf8' is aperspective of the en 11 engaging the jamb at such'points as that the notches 12 13 of the engaging plate are located just outside the outer edge of the jamb. The engaging plate is mounted in contact with the jamb when the door is slightly opened, and the door is then closed and engaging the plate presses the same into a position parallel with the face of the jamb and forces the projections 11 into the jamb, as clearly illustrated in Figs. 4 and 7, the marginal notches 12 13 vof the plate being located just outside of the front edge of the jamb.

A retaining-plate 16 is provided, which plate is formed with a notch or bifurcation 17 in' one end, providing arms 18 19 above and below the bifurcations, as clearly shown in Figs. 1, 2, 5, and 6. The upper edge or margin of the arm 19 ofthe retaining-plate is formed in steps 20 21 22, connected by rising marginal portions forming shoulders 23 24, the step 22 extending from the shoulder 24 to the inner edge of the notch or bifurcation 17 at or near the center of the plate. The lower margin of the arm 18 of the retaining-plate is formed with three notches 25, 26, and 27, somewhat angular and'abrupt in their conformation and approximating in width to the thickness ofthe engaging plate. The notches 25, 26, and 27 are connected by inclined marginal faces 28 29. A tongue or hook portion 30 is formed at the extremity of the lower edge of the arm 18 of the-plate and approximates to the upper edge of the arm 19 of the plate, which tongue or hook' restricts the width of the entrance tothe notch or bifurcation 17.

The retaining-plate 16 in practicaluse is mounted on the engaging plate by inserting the arm 18 thereof in the notch 12 and straddling the portion of the engaging plate between its notches by the arms of the retaining-plate until said portion between the notches of the retaining-plate engages in one.

or another of the notches 25. 26 27 of the retaining-plate and then rotatably moving the retaining-plate, closed end downwardly, until one or another of the shoulders 23 or 24 or the inner margin of the notch 17 engages the retaining-plate, in which position the retaining-plate will remain until manually removed by reason of the preponderance of the solid Iroo portion of the plate that in the drawings carries the numeral 16.

It is to be understood that the engaging plate is rst mounted as described, the door closed thereupon, and the retaining-plate mounted, as described, in the notches l2 13 and straddlin g the solid portion between said notches. The retaining-plate is held against further and accidental revolution and displacement from the enga-ging plate by the engagement of its notches and shoulders with the solid portion of the engaging plate between the notches l2 13, and the engaging plate is held against longitudinal movement by the projections ll,inserted in the substance of the door-jamb.

It will be observed that the retaining-plate 1G is reversible relative to the engaging'platc, and the engaging plate is reversible for positioning on either jamb of a doorway.

The plurality of notches 25 2G 27 provides means for mounting the retaining-plate in different positions transversely of the engaging plate, as may be necessitated by the use of a face-casing or facing moldings 3l 32 on the edge of the jamb.

I claim as my invention- A door-securer comprising an engaging plate formed With marginal notches l2, 13, a bifurcated retaining-plate entering said notches and straddling the engaging plate, and shoulders arranged in series on the retaining-plate, whereby the device is accommodated to the clearance of the jamb, one arm of the retaining-plate terminating in the overhanging tongue 30.

HENRY B. BUTTS.

Vitnesses:

WM. SEssINGHAUs, JNO. L. ZIEGENHEIN. 

